


Sleight of Hand Man

by karrenia_rune



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Character Study, Episode Tag, Gen, community: fic on demand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:03:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2516858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>lim Garak's POV, also Dr. Julian Bashir, more of a monologue character study of both men set shortly after<br/>Bahshir's return to the station after being held prisoner by the Domninion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleight of Hand Man

Title: Sleight of Hand Man  
Author: Karen  
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  
Request Details: http://community.livejournal.com/fic_on_demand/575112.html

 

Disclaimer: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine belongs to Paramount Pictures, UPN Television, and is not mine, nor are any of the characters including Elim Garak, Dr. Julian Bashir or any others mentioned here. 

"Sleight of Hand Man" by Karen

Elim Garak is a man whose entire life has always been one composed of secrets, both his own and those of others. As an operative of the Order it was his task to ferret out secrets, and as a protege of his idol, Embram Taim he had always felt pride and that he was the one groomed as Tain's heir apparent. That single-minded goal had been his dream, truth be told, and the height of his ambition. In a moment of stroking his own ego. And given enough time and effort one day he might even exceed his mentor. One day that never came.

 

With the Cardassian Occupation abandoning the space station in orbit over the planet Bajor to the Federation troops when that dream came crashing down around him, and Garak had been forced into exile on that very same station. The irony of the situation is not lost on him. 

Garak took on a new role, one exhibiting much the same properties and characteristics of a chameleon; blending in with his surroundings, making himself of use to the new owners of the station: Deep Space Nine. His lengthy tenure aboard the station has been a series of adjustments and not just because of the change in residents, from when the Cardassians ran the place and called it Terrok Nor

Garak has been many things in his lifetime, son, student, spy, traitor, enemy, a tailor, and finally a friend to a Federation human doctor. It's that last niche that is proving to be more problematic than the others. After all the only individual that he can by any stretch of the imagination consider a friend is Dr. Julian Bashir. A Federation doctor, and the stations Chief Medical officer.

Dr. Julian Bashir knows a thing or two about secrets, especially the ones that concern keeping secrets. After all, the good doctor kept the secret of his gene resequencing a secret for fifteen years. 

Perhaps that drew the two men together. Perhaps Garak sensed a kindred spirit, a willing ear and an attentive audience for what had become part of their daily ritual: eating lunch together at Quark's bar while discussing philosophy.

Throughout this budding friendship or at least tolerance of each other's outlooks despite Bashir's friends and colleagues would not so subtly point out that it was unlikely friendship at best; and at worst, a mismatched pair: A Cardassian exile and a Starfleet doctor. Both men's' opinions on issues and philosophies hardly ever march within spitting distance of each other.

Yet it held. Even when Garak had his doubts and they were many. They are legion. It is a source of both amazement and a matter of fact that one man is capable of carrying many facets to his personality, so many different layers, and so many secrets. 

Garak can sense a general cause of the fine lines around the human doctor's almond brown eyes; it's the inner turmoil that Garak can sense. He is well aware that often Bashir's more passionate side is at odds with his good sense. After all of their regular meetings for lunch at Quark's bar have picked up with their usual pace and banter, since Bashir returned from the Dominion prison, in the company of Commander Worf and General Martok. 

Garak would have given much to have been there to listen in on the debriefing that the three men conducted with Captain Sisko, or to at least have gotten his hands on the report. Of course being the good and loyal Starfleet officers that they are, they would not invite the resident Cardassian exile to that meeting would be unheard of.

Bashir is proving not his usual talkative self on the matter and is proving rather stubborn and difficult to draw out on the subject. A perfect eidetic memory notwithstanding, Bashir claims to be having trouble sorting through his recollections of everything that happened; that what he remembers are not as reliable as he would like to believe.

 

As a Cardassian Garak can appreciate the subtle as well as not so subtle tricks the Dominion would no doubt employ while the three men were held, prisoner. Still, if that is the cause of the fine lines around the human doctor's almond brown eyes, then perhaps forcing the issue, or pushing too hard for more information is the wrong tactic. After all forcing Bashir on the subject might do more harm than good.

 

Garak has never heard of or seen any other doctor, Starfleet or otherwise take the Physician Oath First Do No Harm, as seriously as Bashir's does. It might be a commitment to his profession and it might be a little ego kicking in; all the same, it's tearing at him. "So what do you do? How do you help someone who entire career is involved with helping and healing everyone else?" Garak asks his reflection in the shiny surface of his work desk in his tailor shop. "Be his friend. Although I still would like to know exactly what occurred. Curiosity, that will be the cause of my inevitable death, that is if ill fortune does not do me in untimely."


End file.
